Longford Disabled Activist James Cawley and 300 others "Reclaim their Rights"

James Cawley, a Longford Disabled activist joined over 300 Disabled people in Brussels on Tuesday 24 September as they marched to the European Parliament demanding better rights for Disabled people across Europe.

Cawley attended a number of events including a hearing that took place in the European Parliament and workshops, and delivering key asks around independent living supports for Disabled people to MEPs

“In 2018 Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) - this convention obligates our member states to ensure Disabled people have participation to all facets of life equal to others”. said Cawley.

“In 2018 Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) - this convention obligates our member states to ensure Disabled people have participation to all facets of life equal to others”.

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Mr Cawley added “We still do not have a legal right to personal assistance in Ireland, 30 years after its inception in our country. While legislation is important, we need this service to be fully and adequately resourced to ensure Disabled people who require independent living supports can live their lives. Activists have been campaigning on this issue for over 30 years and this Government now has the opportunity to showcase its commitment to valuing Disabled people’s rights by moving towards legislation, resourcing and full implementation of independent living supports for Disabled people in the run up to Budget day and the general election”

Personal Assistance Services are available for any Disabled person in Ireland who feel they need support to do the things they want to do, both in and out of the home. They were established in 1992 , yet according to a report on PAS from the ILMI (Independent Living Movement Ireland) many disabled people remain in the dark regarding these services.

“In a European context, The EU and its Member States have announced the intention of fundamentally changing their support systems for disabled people, away from patronising forms of care, to empowering forms of person-centred support services. Personal assistance and personal budgets are examples of such services. However, this change is barely occurring in practice, with dramatic consequences for individual disabled people. Millions have no choice but to live in nursing homes and lead passive and excluded lives.

Cawley concluded - “I feel compelled to go on this trip to continue to ”carry the baton” that many Disabled activists carried before me. It is time to be visible and “reclaim our rights” especially for those who feel voiceless in all of this. I’d like to thank the offices of MEPs Ciaran Mullooly and Maria Walsh for their support with my trip over”.